Ethan walked toward his hotel, hands tucked into his pockets, posture relaxed—but his mind was running a hundred calculations per second. It felt unusual but comfortable at the same time.
However, as he walked, he tried to look natural because he had company.
The same Hellfire Club security guards who had taken him in earlier were now tailing him. They weren't subtle about it either. Two men, dressed in sleek black suits, walked half a block behind him, moving in rhythm with his pace.
'Testing me, huh?' Ethan thought, keeping his face carefully neutral. He considered his options. He could try to lose them, but that would confirm that he knew they were there. That wasn't what he wanted.
Instead, he pretended not to notice.
The best way to make them lose interest was to appear normal. As far as they knew, he was just some high school kid who got too curious. And that was exactly what he wanted them to believe.
Now that he had Sage's power, Ethan's plan was simple: Live normally while acquiring knowledge.
If he suddenly changed his behavior—if he disappeared or acted strangely—it would raise red flags. The Hellfire Club had eyes everywhere. Until he was stronger, he couldn't afford to draw their attention.
So he would do what no one expected. He'd be a model student, focus on his education, and act like the perfectly average teenager. Except, of course, his definition of learning was far different from what anyone imagined.
The technology of this world was miles ahead of the real world, but only people like S.H.I.E.L.D., Tony Stark, and Reed Richards had access to it. The normal public? They were decades behind.
But now, with Sage's mind, Ethan had the ability to bridge that gap for himself.
His plan was simple but effective. Step one was to order books on rocket science, physics, wormholes, and engineering every so often. Step two would require him to spend time in the library studying all fields of electronics and mechanics. Step three use step one and two to build a foundation that would allow him to replicate and improve upon the most advanced tech in the world.
With Sage's mind, learning was no longer a problem. He didn't need years to master a subject—he needed weeks, days, or even hours. With time and effort, he would surpass Stark and Richards as a genius.
Ethan returned to his hotel, locked the door, and took a deep breath. He sat on the edge of his bed and pulled up the system screen.
[Abilities:]
S-Rank: [N/A]
A-Rank: [N/A]
B-Rank: [N/A]
C-Rank: [N/A]
D-Rank: [N/A]
E-Rank: [Supercomputer Mind]
F-Rank: [N/A]
[Supercomputer Mind (Sage)– E-Rank (Installed)]
[Telepathy (Emma Frost)– A-Rank]
[Diamond Form (Emma Frost)– D-Rank]
As useful as telepathy and diamond form were, Ethan found himself losing interest in them.
With Sage's mind, he was already capable of analyzing and predicting people's behavior at an extreme level. Telepathy would make it easier, sure, but it wasn't a priority anymore.
As for Diamond Form?
Sure, it made Emma invulnerable to quite a lot of things in that state, but it also locked her out of her telepathy. Besides, he had seen many characters make her bleed even in diamond form. The funny thing, though, was that her blood was also like a diamond, so she could literally make blood diamonds.
More importantly, Ethan had no interest in being a front-line fighter. His greatest weapon now wasn't his strength. It was his mind.
And if he wanted to truly maximize his potential, he needed powers that synergized well together.
That's when he narrowed down three abilities he must acquire—no matter the rank.
The first was Forge's Superhuman Intuitive Talent for Inventing. Forge's ability to instinctively invent mechanical devices was borderline magic. He didn't need to understand how something worked—his intuition did the heavy lifting. Whether it was building advanced weapons, interdimensional portals, or power-enhancing devices, he was the ultimate tech genius. When paired with Sage's supercomputer mind, Ethan could analyze, refine, and perfect anything he created. With these two abilities together, he could surpass Stark and Richards with ease.
The second was Domino's Probability Manipulation. Domino's ability to subconsciously manipulate probability was one of the most underrated powers in the Marvel Universe. Whether it was dodging attacks, finding the perfect opportunity in battle, or having things conveniently work in her favor, it ensured near-constant success. It wasn't invincibility, but it was damn close to it. Most importantly? It could synergize with Forge's ability, leading to lucky technological breakthroughs. The power of pure luck was something that could not be underestimated.
The third was Mystique's power of Shapeshifting. Mystique's ability to change her appearance was iconic for its versatility. It allowed her to mimic voices, change her form, and even alter her biology to an extent. In the future, when Ethan would eventually leave his current identity, being able to create new ones at will would be priceless. The ability to disappear and reappear under different names, in different bodies? That was survival at its finest.
Ethan smirked. These were the best three abilities he could possibly obtain right now. With these, his survivability would shoot through the roof.
And he would stop at nothing to get them.
Ethan paused for a moment, reflecting on one final realization.
Ethan chose these four mutant abilities.
Sage's Supercomputer Mind
Domino's Probability Manipulation
Forge's Genius Intuition
Mystique's Shapeshifting
In the Marvel Universe, mutants were seen as inferior, but their abilities were some of the most versatile and powerful.
He could've picked cosmic powers or magical abilities. However, cosmic powers could be gained later on in a variety of ways, and magical abilities and spells would simply require the study of them in most cases. Mutant abilities on the other hand, while difficult to obtain since it was a genetic evolution, were rather practical and synergized well together.
And the fact that most mutants never fully developed or optimized their gifts was something he planned to rectify. With his immense knowledge, he would take these abilities to their full potential.
Ethan closed his eyes and appeared inside his mental library. Where he chronicled all the knowledge he knew inside books. Inside it, he had stored Emma Frost's personal number.
He hadn't thought of an immediate use for it yet, but he knew one thing—it would be valuable later.
If he ever needed a favor, a distraction, or even just leverage, he had a direct line to one of the most powerful women on the planet.
For now, though?
He would focus on his studies.